Starting the Robot

[kenntnisse]

Rule 6k notes that we "may not touch the Robot to start it, ... or 'push' the Robot to get it started." Does that mean even if we only use the unsharpened #2 pencil to interact with the Robot, we cannot touch the Robot or move it with it?

[brian9640]

Rule 6k notes that we "may not touch the Robot to start it, ... or 'push' the Robot to get it started." Does that mean even if we only use the unsharpened #2 pencil to interact with the Robot, we cannot touch the Robot or move it with it?

Once the #2 pencil is used to activate (start) the robot, you may not touch the robot again until the run is complete. You can touch or move the robot before and after the run. But during the run, you may not interact with the robot.

Hope that helps.

[kenntnisse]

Yes, I understand that part. I'm referring purely to the procedure to start the robot/run. If we use the pencil to push or poke the robot to start the run, would that violate the rule?

I can see a way this could be interpreted if the rules mean that the robot needs to have a sensor to detect a pencil being waved, so that it doesn't need to be touched to activate.

[brian9640]

Yes, I understand that part. I'm referring purely to the procedure to start the robot/run. If we use the pencil to push or poke the robot to start the run, would that violate the rule?

I can see a way this could be interpreted if the rules mean that the robot needs to have a sensor to detect a pencil being waved, so that it doesn't need to be touched to activate.

The pencil should be activating sensor, pushbutton or switch. Any other action with the pencil could risk a penalty. Pushing the robot to start the robot would be seen as a violation of rule 6.k.

I would recommend adding a pushbutton or switch to the robot that is activated by the pencil. This pushbutton can be an input to the robot's controller. The robot's program waits for the input to be triggered then starts the robot's movements. Some teams have used the power switch or a reset button as the item triggered by the pencil. I do not recommend these methods.

[kenntnisse]

Alright, so pressing a trigger with the pencil would not count as "touching the Robot."

Thanks!

I can see how using a power switch or reset button would mess things up: our robot has those controls on its side, and its incredibly hard to activate them without messing up the positioning of the robot.